


Crush It

by Destini Islands (Destini)



Category: A3! (Video Game)
Genre: Alcohol, F/M, Fluff, Mutual Pining, Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2019-12-24
Packaged: 2021-02-26 03:54:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,235
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21927019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Destini/pseuds/Destini%20Islands
Summary: Note: This is part self-insert and part-established MC. I wrote this in first-person of the Tachibana we know, but I do not use the 'Izumi' name nor describe appearance because the game encourages custom names and avoids her model.“I apologize if I offended you. I did not mean to be deceitful. I just didn’t - I didn’t think it would be meaningful. If we weren’t doing these portraits, perhaps I would have never said anything at all.”I couldn’t discern whose heart was tearing faster, mine or his. “Sakyo…”“Now, if you’ll excuse me.”He didn’t hesitate as he turned and began to walk away. They say first impressions last forever. But as I watched Sakyo, I struggled to remember anything but the sad way his back left my sight.
Relationships: Furuichi Sakyou/Main Character, Furuichi Sakyou/Tachibana Izumi
Comments: 5
Kudos: 94





	1. First Impressions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sakyo's portrait comes as a surprise, but only to me...

.·:* *:·.

They say first impressions last forever. I could mostly agree, recalling all the awkward first words I said and the way people treated me after. I'm an expert in ruining my first impressions.

That's why I was so sure that he would never do this. I was angry, I was confused, I was just a lost woman looking for her father. And him? He was just a money-grubbing yakuza that bullied me into his life. Admittedly, it was an awful first impression both ways.

But I was wrong. He had joined the troupe with good intentions, he had stayed by my side, he had overhauled his first impression in such a way that I couldn't look back at it with anything but fondness.

I thought that was enough, I thought everything was explained.

But I was wrong. The key piece was my assumption of that day in front of the Mankai Company, with my arms flailing at the bulldozer, that it had been the first time we ever met. It had never been the first time.

Sakyo Furuichi finished his portrait performance to sad smiles and light applause. It was nearly perfect. Sweet and raw, adding flair and softness to such a normally stiff-faced yakuza. He'd been forced to crack his mask and just as quickly, he haphazardly threw it back on as he bowed to his small audience.

And I'd been a part of it. His biggest regret in life so deeply involved my father and me that I could only stare at him in shock. But then he was gone, his eyes having roamed over everyone except me.

"Close your mouth," Coach Kashima chuckled. He was mostly focused on his own theater troupe and their personal notes on the portrait performances. But he had time to mock me.

"Sorry."

I looked over to see the last of his smile fade, a gruff huff leaving his mouth. "What? He didn't tell you?"

"N-no."

"What, don't tell me you didn't recognize him?"

He looked genuinely surprised, readjusting himself in the seat as the others around us slowly began to rise and the dim lights grew brighter.

"No," I muttered.

"Ah. I guess you were pretty young,” Kashima said. His fingers brushed over his chin as his thoughts went back to a time I couldn’t follow. “Hm. Well, I'm sure it's all a shock then."

"I knew he liked the Mankai Company, I just didn't know he was...that I…"

My words trailed away, falling short of anyone’s ears. I didn't know Sakyo at all. And my first impression had definitely changed. Instead of letting it go, I ran out the door before my regrets became too heavy to chase after.

"Sakyo! Sakyo, wait up!"

His shoulders stiffened then slumped as he waited for me to jog to his side. A hard-faced yet patient yakuza. He adjusted the thick, black coat he wore as his eyes skirted away from mine.

"I have business to attend to. What do you want?" he snapped.

"Now you hold on just a minute!"

_This callous idiot!_

"What's your big hurry anyway? Can't we talk a few minutes? You practically ran out of the door!" And I did too!

Sakyo sighed. "Yes, probably related to the whole 'I have business to attend to' part."

“So you admit to scheduling badly, huh?” Two could play at the sarcasm game, although I couldn’t say I was close to winning.

“What is your point?”

“You didn’t tell me! You didn’t tell me anything.”

Sakyo continued not to look me in the eye, he knew all along why I chased after him. “It wasn’t important.”

“It was important enough to be in your portrait.” Important enough to not look at me and important enough to run away from.

He didn’t respond - no sharp comeback or sarcastic reply. After a moment, he readjusted his coat yet again.

“I apologize if I offended you. I did not mean to be deceitful. I just didn’t - I didn’t think it would be meaningful. If we weren’t doing these portraits, perhaps I would have never said anything at all.”

I couldn’t discern whose heart was tearing faster, mine or his. “Sakyo…”

“Now, if you’ll excuse me.”

He didn’t hesitate as he turned and began to walk away. They say first impressions last forever. But as I watched Sakyo, I struggled to remember anything but the sad way his back left my sight.

.·:* *:·.

Hushed voices came back into focus as I heard my name.

“I think the Director is…”

“Yeah, she’s done I think.”

Huh? Why were they talking about me like I wasn’t here? I glared across the table at the blur of faces. “You are the meanest troupe, Spring.”

“This is an Autumn Troupe meeting.”

“Oh.”

Well, damn. That explained why they were so mean. I was wondering why the Spring guys had been _so_ mean today! How could Sakuya do this to me!

“Director. Let’s go.”

“Hold on, Omi. You’ve been running around all day. You should sit. Let Sakyo handle her.”

“Huh?”

I concentrated my eyes to see Sakyo and Banri in a staring match. Omi, awkwardly, was smiling and red-faced. Had he been drinking, too? Juza and Taichi weren’t even involving themselves in this, in a heated match of some card game I’d never seen before.

“Go on. You don’t want to be here anyway. Two birds, one stone,” Banri grinned.

Sakyo grimaced, draining then setting down his empty wine glass. “Hmph. Well, I can’t argue that...fine. I’ll take her to her room. Make sure to clean this up before going to sleep.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

With a sigh, Sakyo turned hesitantly toward me. It felt like the first time we’d even looked into each other’s eyes since the portraits. My heart gave a threatening thump from where I leaned over the table.

“Director. Can you stand?”

I nodded and attempted - and failed. Sakyo’s arm wrapped around my waist while the other steadied my shoulders. “Up we go.”

“T-thank you.”

Ah, I was being weird. I was being really weird. Would he notice? If he did, he said nothing as he led me out of the living room and into the chilly night air.

“We’re almost there,” he murmured, soft words thawing my numb ear. “Key?”

“No…”

“No?”

Oopsies. I didn’t know where my key was! Damn! What a disappointment. At this rate, Sakyo would always see me as a careless child.

“I’m not a kid,” I reminded him.

“...What?”

“So take me to - your room.”

We couldn’t stay out here forever and I needed to lay down. Surely he understood?

Maybe not. The expression he was giving me was anger, then confusion, then back to anger all while his face got increasingly red. Very cute look on him. I didn’t realize he’d been drinking so much, too.

“What’s wrong?”

“What’s-?”

Sakyo scoffed then inhaled long and deep. “Your wording needs work. Do you know where your key is?”

“No…”

“Dammit.”

He got quiet before leading me away from my door and toward his. Sakyo went silent for a moment before clearing his throat awkwardly. “Look. Just this once I’ll help you. Lay down in my room and I’ll start looking for your key.”

“Thank you, Sakyo.”

“Yes, yes. You’re supposed to be the Director, you know.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s...fine.”

I didn’t know when we arrived, I only saw Sakyo turning to open the door and leave me. The sight of his back leaving me again snapped me back into reality, my head still swirling as I reached for the spinning man in my panic.

“Wait. Wait, Sakyo…”

The door closed back and Sakyo slowly returned to my side, folding his arms and looking down. Was I in his bed? I glanced around me. So clean and comfortable. It suited him.

“What now? Do you need water or something?”

“No.”

“...Then?”

“I just wanted to say thank you.”

“You’ve already said that.”

His face softened to a smile and he squatted down, a warm and friendly hand brushing hair from my face. “Now sleep, little girl.”

I frowned. No, no. Not again.

“Sakyo, I already said I’m not...a little girl anymore.”

He sighed and pinched my nose.

“Hey!”

My tongue flicked to hit his wrist and he quickly drew away with a grimace.

“Really?” he said, a wry smile on his face giving away his lack of remorse.

“You’re the one being a little boy. Teasing me, being mean…”

I didn’t know what Sakyo saw when he looked down at me. Curiosity? Pity? Boredom? His expression was unreadable, especially with the way it kept shifting in my vision. I reached to steady him, hands moving up his cheeks to hold his head. Much better.

Seeing him clearly now, I could see Sakyo’s furrowed eyebrows and searching eyes. After some deliberation, one of his hands met mine. It became trapped between two sources of heat, a rough man’s calluses and his soft and smooth cheeks.

“Are you sure?” he nearly whispered. I’d almost forgotten what we were discussing at the moment, too lost on the sensation of his touch. “You need to decide that. Either you’re a little girl who drinks so carelessly, or you’re a woman...who gets in men’s beds.”

“What…?”

He smirked, two mischievous but cautious eyes staring into mine over the rim of his glasses.

“That’s right. So choose. I can keep treating you as a little girl, or…”

His free hand gently poked my nose this time, but then lingered and slowly traced down to the nape of my neck. In the time it took to swallow, it was hard to breathe. Sakyo was as sure as he always was, but now so gentle behind his closed doors. What was going on?

His featherlight touches were warm and seeping into my skin. He was pushing me deeper into the bed with his hand near my neck, while the other gripped the hand on his cheek tighter. I didn’t remember that escape was an option until Sakyo was leaning over me, close enough to feel the heat shared between our two adult bodies, close enough to smell the warm gingerbread still on his lips, close enough to...kiss.

“Or...I can treat you as a woman.”

Was it a question? I didn’t...I didn’t know what I wanted.

Sakyo broke the spell before I could figure it out. Both of his rough hands disappeared back into his lined pockets as he stood up. Those eyes of his never left mine as he adjusted his coat and glasses.

“I’ll be off to search for your key. Goodnight, Director.”

With a final smile and without my response, Sakyo opened his door and left me in his bed.

It was difficult to sleep.


	2. Strictly Professional

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sakyo and I discuss professionalism, even though we...

.·:* *:·.

I awoke with a jolt. _Ah!_ Oh, my head. Wait, this wasn’t my room. I squinted in the night but could see nothing. However, the faint whiff of gingerbread was enough to bring the memories back. Sakyo’s room. His direct gaze. That sensual smile. Cheeks flushing, I quickly threw my legs over the bed and then stopped when they brushed against something. I touched air until I found the familiar plastic top of a water bottle.

Sakyo must have left it for me. How thoughtful. With a small smile, I twisted off the cap and drank several gulps of the refreshing liquid. Still cold.

With that suspicion, I stood up and crept forward to the door. I unlocked it and was immediately met with the night’s cool winds. It must be extremely early in the morning. But I ignored that, seeing the lights from the main room still on. Could Sakyo still be around?

Quickly, I ran down to the main door and stepped in, shutting the cold out and attempting to brush it off of me.

“Who’s there?”

The barking and commanding voice would normally freeze me up, but I was too cold to be bothered.

“It’s me, Sakyo.”

He didn’t say anything at first, just a moment of hesitation before I could hear him walking. Sakyo popped around the corner with his usual scowl.

“What are you doing awake?”

“I should ask the same. I can’t believe you let me sleep so long.”

“Couldn’t be helped.”

I gazed at his surly expression. He sure didn’t seem upset, tired more than anything.

“What are you doing up, Sakyo?”

He shrugged. “Looking for the key of an irresponsible Director, what else?”

Still not upset, but perhaps annoyed was more accurate. And it was all my fault.

“...Go to bed, Sakyo. I’ll sleep out on the couch tonight. Thank you for helping me but you have rehearsals tomorrow.”

“No.”

“No?”

He sighed as if it were obvious before he sullenly approached me. “Look at yourself.”

“I think I know what I look like.”

“Yeah? Sure about that?”

His sure gaze told me I was missing something. With a frown, I raced back to the foyer to check the mirror there. My hair was out of place, my bra strap and cleavage were showing, and my shirt had ridden up over my belly button.

Yikes.

“Okay…”

I quickly rolled the shirt back down and adjusted the collars and sleeves. So what. I proudly made my way back and put a triumphant hand on my hip.

“Fine, now I can sleep. Happy?”

“Huh? What are you yapping about?”

“I-I fixed my shirt.”

“So?”

“Sakyo!”

He ran a hand over his face. “It’s bad enough you’re the only woman here but you want the first thing the boys to see in the morning is you alone on the couch? It’s not proper.”

“What are you _talking_ about? You don’t trust the troupe?”

“No, that’s not it.”

His lowered voice to my increased one suddenly made me feel silly. Of course he trusted the troupe, he was probably just worried about me not sleeping well. It wouldn’t exactly be very professional of me to sleep in the lobby. I knew all of that and yet his eyes, clouded over and gaze far away from mine, made me ask.

“Then what is it?”

Sakyo turned to frown at the wall. “Nothing.”

“Nothing? Doesn’t seem like it.”

“It’s nothing,” he snapped. “You’re a woman after all, aren’t you? It’s better the troupe doesn’t think too much about that.”

“Too much...about me?”

“It’s better for all feelings and relationships to remain strictly professional, that is all I am implying.”

I stared at the side of his face, worn, tired, ever caring about my wellbeing in his strange and roundabout ways.

“I disagree.”

Sakyo finally met my eyes. “Excuse me?”

“I said I disagree,” I restated firmly. “We’re far past that. We can be professional and still a family. I think it’s our strongest asset. So please...don’t devalue our relationships here.”

“You’re so…”

He sighed. “There’s no point in arguing with you,” Sakyo smiled.

“No, there isn’t,” I grinned. “I’m a grown woman and your Director.”

He scoffed. “Hardly, little girl.”

“Oh no you don’t. I’m not…”

The night’s activities came rushing back in my deja vu. Sakyo’s unanswered question and my unanswered feelings like an elephant in the room suddenly revealed with the memory of his hot hands.

“Not what?”

Did Sakyo think nothing of it all? He spoke with me so casually. Too casually for it to be a coincidence.

“I - um - I was just thinking of...you know…”

He stared, waiting. He knew he wasn’t going to mention it until I explicitly did, how maddening.

“What if I want to be treated as a woman, Sakyo?”

Recognition and then resignation passed over his eyes.

“...I was joking. Perhaps my joke went too far. I apologize.”

“Oh.”

A joke.

Sure didn’t seem like a joke.

“A joke how?”

I took a step forward, unsure why. I felt so far away.

“I only meant to tease you. You weren’t meant to take it so seriously,” he said. Sakyo’s face was tight and although he didn’t move, it felt like he wanted to take a step back.

“Can I ask you a question? About your portrait?”

Now, he took a step back. “Portraits are done.”

It wasn’t a no. “You said...telling me wouldn’t have been meaningful.”

He said nothing, arms folding as if to guard himself against my questions. I wouldn’t allow it. We were friends, weren’t we? For once, frustration welled inside me as I watched Sakyo trying to outcast himself while I was trying to be open.

“But it was. You’re precious to me, so I was surprised to know how deep our history goes. And - I was sad, too.”

“Director-”

“I was sad we were forced apart and I was sad you thought it wouldn’t be important to me.”

“Director, please-”

“But it is. Because _you’re_ important to me!”

Sakyo’s arms pulled me into him.

“What?”

“Quiet...stop crying already. I get it, alright? I’m sorry.”

Crying? I didn’t realize. It had to have been only one or two tears. Held so close, I could feel the shiver that ripped through me. Sakyo must’ve felt it too, holding me tighter. It wasn’t just his lips, his shirt smelled like gingerbread too. Funny.

I awkwardly wrapped my arms around him, too. Now, I truly felt like crying. Was this really the first time we’ve embraced? Part of me wondered if that wasn’t true. When we were young, was Sakyo open with me? Or, as his first love, had he been just as closed off? It was a bittersweet feeling, knowing him as I did now, knowing the love he had for me before had long faded.

I suppose none of it mattered. Change isn’t always bad.

With that in mind, I allowed myself to pull back and fix Sakyo with a look of gratitude.

He didn’t return it, a thumb straying across my cheek to wipe away a drop there instead. It was a single, affectionate gesture that made me cast doubt on what I’d just told myself.

“What are you trying to do here, huh?” he sighed. It didn’t seem directed at me, his hand still warm on my cheek as if he meant to caress it.

“Hey, Sakyo…? We should be like we were before when we were young.” My hand gently closed around his.

“You don’t even remember what that was like.” His hand ghosted down my face.

“You can show me.” My hand gripped his a little tighter.

“So you want to be treated like a little girl after all?” His hand stopped at my chin.

“I want you to be open again. I want you to treat me like you’ve always wanted to.” My body drew closer.

“That’s stupid.” His chest touched mine.

“So what.” I kissed him.

Sakyo’s lips were magnetic. He hardly moved, yet I was pulled closer into the taste of gingerbread spilling over and into my mouth. His lean body, normally hidden by a long jacket, felt hot through his shirt as his hands slid away to grip me by the waist. And despite his large and focused hands, his lips remained gentle. This was the Sakyo I knew - possessive, serious, but secondary to his kind and passionate nature. I didn’t know what to think, nor did I want to.

I only felt - I felt that maybe his crush hadn’t been crushed after all. This was something more, something that felt an awful lot like...love.


End file.
